Chaos erupts at Politican’s rally in northern India, police resort to Baton-Charge
by ShravyaIn a dramatic turn of events, a rally held by Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Akhilesh Yadav in Azamgarh’s Lalganj Lok Sabha constituency descended into chaos, prompting police to intervene with a lathi charge.
The incident took place in the Kharema Bazaar area of the Saraimeer in Azamgarh on May 21.
Visuals showed during the rally, there was a lot of chaos and confusion on the stage. The stage had collapsed, and the police were hitting people with lathis. There was complete disorder, with people throwing chairs at each other.The incident saw supporters hurling bricks, stones, and chairs at each other.
With the Lok Sabha elections already five phases in, political leaders are ramping up their campaigns for the sixth phase of voting scheduled on May 25. Akhilesh Yadav was in Azamgarh to campaign for SP candidate Daroga Prasad, who is contesting against BJP’s Neelam Sonkar for the Lalganj seat.
The situation spiraled out of control shortly after Yadav took the stage in the Kharema Bazaar area of the Saraimeer police station jurisdiction. Thousands of SP supporters broke through barricades in an attempt to reach their leader, resulting in a stampede-like situation. In response, the police resorted to a lathi charge to manage the unruly crowd.
Witnesses reported that as the police began wielding their batons, panic ensued, causing supporters to flee in all directions. Several individuals fell and were injured in the melee. The police defended their actions, stating it was necessary to restore order and ensure safety.
This incident comes on the heels of a similar disturbance at a rally in Phulpur, Prayagraj, involving Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav. During that event, a stampede also erupted, leading security officials to advise both leaders to leave the venue.
The recurring chaos at these political gatherings underscores the heightened tensions and fervor as election day approaches.